PsyToolkit is a software package for running psychological experiments, and it is best classified as behavior experiment software

Comparison of behavioral experiment software

Overview of software packages used in experimental psychology and related disciplines. These packages differ in various aspects . Some software is proprietary, and some is available as free software. Some packages have a graphical user interface. Some packages have a scripting language...

. It was developed by Dr Gijsbert Stoet as a software project at Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...

 in 2005. Currently, the software is being developed at the Institute of Psychological Sciences of the University of Leeds

University of Leeds

The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...

.

Features

PsyToolkit was designed to offer an easy to use scripting language for creating experiments and provide an extensive library of resources and documentation. It runs on the Linux

Linux

Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...

 operating system and it has no graphical user interface

Graphical user interface

In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...

, although a demonstration mode for Java exists and is being used for online lessons. The software is compatible with Cedrus and IOLab systems keyboards. Unique to the software is that the scripting language is translated into (editable) C code, which then in turn is compiled into a executable using the Gnu C compiler

GNU Compiler Collection

The GNU Compiler Collection is a compiler system produced by the GNU Project supporting various programming languages. GCC is a key component of the GNU toolchain...

. Apart from creating experiments, it also has a computer based questionnaire presenter (called PsyQuest) using the GTK+

GTK+

GTK+ is a cross-platform widget toolkit for creating graphical user interfaces. It is licensed under the terms of the GNU LGPL, allowing both free and proprietary software to use it. It is one of the most popular toolkits for the X Window System, along with Qt.The name GTK+ originates from GTK;...

 toolkit.

The software is released with various examples of popular paradigms in experimental psychology, including inhibition of return

Inhibition of return

Inhibition of return refers to the observation that the speed and accuracy with which an object is detected are first briefly enhanced after the object is attended, and then detection speed and accuracy are impaired...

, task switching, attentional blink

Attentional blink

Attentional blink is a phenomenon observed in rapid serial visual presentation . When presented with a sequence of visual stimuli in rapid succession at the same spatial location on a screen, a participant will often fail to detect a second salient target occurring in succession if it is presented...

, spatial compatibility, multiple object tracking, and visual search

Visual search

Visual search is a type of perceptual task requiring attention that typically involves an active scan of the visual environment for a particular object or feature among other objects or features . Visual search can take place either with or without eye movements...

.